Adjustable safety net system

Abstract

A safety net system is configured for mounting to a rack having a pair of spaced apart upstanding posts, in which the upstanding posts have open tops and holes formed in side walls thereof. The safety net system includes a pair of spaced apart uprights, upper and lower mounts operably connecting each upright to a respective rack post and an upper element extending between and mounted to the uprights at about an upper portion of the uprights. A net extends between and is mounted to the uprights and mounted to the upper element. The net is removably mounted to the uprights and to the upper elements and the uprights are variably mountable to the rack posts to vary a height of the net above the posts.

1. A safety net system for mounting to a rack having a pair of spaced apart upstanding posts, the rack adapted for use of access equipment and sign systems in front of the rack posts and for connection of the rack posts with structural members behind the rack posts, a rear of each of the rack posts facing behind the rack posts, the safety net comprising:
 a pair of spaced apart uprights; 
 upper and lower mounts structured and dimensioned for operably connecting each upright to a respective rack post; 
 an upper element extending between and mounted to the uprights; 
 a net extending between and mounted to the uprights and mounted to the upper element, 
 a first one of the uprights having a front and an opposing rear, with the rear of the first upright being open below an upper portion of the first upright; 
 wherein the net is removably mounted to the uprights and to the upper element; 
 wherein at least one of the upper mounts is formed as a U-shaped element having legs and a central connecting region and including fingers depending from the legs to define notches therein; 
 wherein the uprights are variably mountable to the rack posts to vary a height of the net relative to the posts; and 
 and wherein the first upright is mountable to the respective rack post with at least part of the front of the first upright being adjacent the rear of the respective rack post and the opposing open rear of the first upright being spaced apart from the respective rack post. 
 
     
     
       2. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the upper element is a rigid member. 
     
     
       3. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the net is wrapped around the upper element to maintain the net in tension. 
     
     
       4. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 3  wherein the net is maintained in tension between the uprights. 
     
     
       5. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 1  including a plurality of closable loop elements for mounting the net to the uprights. 
     
     
       6. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the closed loop elements are carabiners. 
     
     
       7. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 1  wherein at least one of the lower mounts is formed as a pair of legs mounted to one of the uprights and mountable to the respective rack post. 
     
     
       8. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the upper portion of the first upright at the rear side is closed. 
     
     
       9. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the uprights are structured and dimensioned for mounting respectively adjacent rear surfaces of the rack posts. 
     
     
       10. A safety net system, for mounting to a rack having a pair of spaced apart upstanding posts with structural members connected to the rack posts, the safety net comprising:
 a pair of spaced apart uprights; 
 a net extending between and removably mounted to the uprights; 
 each of the uprights having two opposing sides; 
 the two sides of each of the uprights being connected to each other at a first portion of each upright; 
 a front and a rear of a first one of the uprights both being continuously open without interruption at a second portion of the first upright, the second portion of the first upright extending for at least the majority of the length of the first upright; 
 the first upright being structured and dimensioned to enable mounting of the first upright to one of the rack posts with at least one of the structural members passing between the two sides of the first upright and through the open front and rear at the second portion of the first upright. 
 
     
     
       11. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a generally U-shaped upper mount; 
 the upper mount comprising two leg portions; 
 the two leg portions being secured respectively to the two sides of one of the uprights; 
 the upper mount comprising depending fingers that define at least one notch; 
 the upper mount structured and dimensioned to enable top edges of one of the rack posts to fit into the at least one notch. 
 
     
     
       12. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a lower mount; 
 the lower mount comprising two spaced apart leg portions; 
 the two leg portions being secured respectively to the two sides of one of the uprights; 
 the two leg portions being mountable to one of the rack posts. 
 
     
     
       13. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a rigid upper element; 
 the upper element extending between and mounted to the uprights. 
 
     
     
       14. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an upper element; 
 the upper element extending between and mounted to the uprights; 
 the net removably mounted to the upper element. 
 
     
     
       15. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of closable loop elements for mounting the net to the uprights. 
     
     
       16. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the net is maintained in tension between the uprights. 
     
     
       17. The safety net system in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein each of the uprights is variably mountable to a respective one of the rack posts to vary a vertical location of the net relative to the rack posts. 
     
     
       18. A method for inhibiting the inadvertent falling of items from a storage rack having first and second spaced apart upstanding posts with structural members connected to the rack posts, the method comprising:
 placing a first upright over at least one of the structural members connected to the first rack post, with the at least one structural member passing between two sides of the first upright and through a front and a rear of the first upright; 
 wherein said front and rear are both continuously open without interruption at a portion of the upright, wherein said portin extends for at least the majority of the length of the first upright; 
 selecting a vertical location for the first upright relative to the first rack post; 
 securing the first upright to the first rack post at the selected vertical location; 
 securing a second upright to the second rack post; 
 extending a net between the two uprights, and removably mounting the net to the two uprights. 
 
     
     
       19. The method as in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 removably mounting the net to an upper rack beam that is connected to each of the two rack posts. 
 
     
     
       20. The method as in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 removably mounting the net to an upper element that extends between and is mounted to the two uprights.